The Bet
by arimi-san
Summary: In which Prince Bubba Gumball proves to Marshall Lee that he's no prude; that he can have fun like normal candy people do. "Why are you so afraid of change, Gumball? Why can't you just take this bottle, drink it down and get wasted and have fun?" ML/PG


**the bet**

Marshall Lee has been counting.

About five to six bottles? He was pretty sure the prince threw some of the empty bottles at some random direction, not that the bartender mind, it was the _prince_ who threw it, so it was very much fine. Besides, how often do you see the prim and proper Prince Gumball drink and get wasted and disregard his morals and upbringing? At some point in the night, they had to thank the Vampire King for this: he _was_ the reason why the Prince started drinking, and who knew Bubba Gumball could get so agitated for being called a prude?

(Marshall Lee knew.)

The vampire eyed everyone with so much intensity, scaring most of them and making most turn away, and he turned to the prince, who was drinking the contents of a new bottle. Upon finishing it, he raised a finger, a clear sign of his demand for a new batch, but Marshall Lee pulled his hand down and shook his head slowly. Gumball tilted his head sideward, like he was confused at the turn of events, and Marshall Lee sighed.

"Y-_hic_-You said—"

"I know what I said, Bubba."

* * *

><p>The prince was mixing up chemicals then; it was a scary process because some of the chemicals tend to explode when a reaction takes place, and as he poured the contents of the test tube to an Erlenmeyer flask containing a pink substance, the chemical fizzed, and he drew back in caution. Seeing that it was safe to do another reaction, he swirled the contents of another test tube and added it in; the chemical turning blue.<p>

It is almost beautiful to watch, Prince Gumball said to himself.

"Hey Gum-Gum!"

"Ah!"

And he almost threw over the new formula he was working on, but thankfully he was able to catch it before it fell over, and he glared at the source of the voice, placing the flask back on the table and placing a cork on its mouth.

"Marshall Lee, what the _glob_ are you doing here?"

The Vampire King was grinning, triumphant over his little success of surprising the prince yet _again_, which wasn't much of an achievement now, to be honest, since he does surprise and ridicules the prince _a lot_, but he still loves to take the best out of everything. He floated around with a mischievous grin, like he was about to strike again any time soon, and Gumball followed him with his gaze, trying to know what was going on with that millennium old brain of his.

Of course, most of the time, he didn't know. Marshall Lee was, as a matter of fact, one of, if not, the most unpredictable people he knows, and the fact that the Vampire King loves pranks doesn't help. At all. Especially because Marshall's favorite target was _him_, the amazing Prince Gumball. (He loves to self-indulge as much as he could.)

"Couldn't an old friend visit without any reclaims from you? Geez, Bubba. Grow up."

_Wow. Are you kidding me? The nerve of this red-sucking leech to tell _me _to grow up!_ The prince could feel his gummy veins twitch, and as a fully-mannered prince, he could only _smile_, of all the things. He figured it would be better if he just ignored the vampire and not feed his ego, and that he did, ignoring him like a boss, until Marshall Lee figured out what he was doing.

"Ignoring me won't stop me from bugging you, though."

"Then what will, Marshall? Unlike you, I'm busy ruling over a kingdom that _does_ exist. I take my title seriously, and if you don't mind, I would like to spend the remainder of my afternoon in _peace_."

That certainly silenced the vampire. The prince turned to him, and he immediately regretted saying those words. Marshall Lee looks… flabbergasted, like he has no clue what to say next just to make it fine. He looks almost… lost? The prince sighed softly and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm just stressed. I need this serum tomorrow, and so far, this needs more setting and more mixing."

"I just hope you _lived_ more, Gumball." _You lived when you were with me._

"I live now, right?"

"Living and breathing are two different things, man." Marshall Lee landed on the floor and he was standing in front of Gumball. "It's like you're _allergic_ to fun. The only fun you have is when you host those bi-annual parties or something. You breathe, Gumball, but you don't _live_."

"For the record, I am not allergic to fun. No one can be allergic to fun." Gumball irritatingly replied.

"Well, you are."

"Why are you so insistent about that? I love fun as much as the next guy! To prove it to you, I'll spend the night doing whatever _you_ like. And if I survive the night, you shall promise not to bug me again." The prince said with utmost confidence, like he was sure that he will win this bet. He removed his lab coat and placed it on top of the table. Marshall watched the process and almost laughed.

"It's a deal, then?"

"Heck yes!"

* * *

><p>"Are you serious?"<p>

"Of course I am."

They were standing in front of one of the biggest bars in Candy Kingdom, and one of Marshall's favorite hang outs. He usually plays his songs there when the nights are slow, and it usually draws guests in, so at some point, the owner is indebted to the Vampire King. And since he's bringing the Candy Prince, the socialites would do _everything_ to get in tonight, just to mingle with the prince.

"I am at the legal age, but I'm not sure about this, Marshall." The prince said, looking around. "I know most of the people here."

"You know _everyone_ in the kingdom, Gumball." Marshall said nonchalantly, waving at some casual onlookers. "Man up, will you? Relax. I won't let anything happen to you."

It was… surprising, to hear that from Marshall Lee, of all the people. Marshall wasn't the hero type; he was different to Fionna, who was his greatest hero at the moment, and just hearing that made Gumball very relaxed. _It worked._

* * *

><p>It was fog and the burning smell of alcohol all over; the candy people were dancing, having a great time, and Gumball was too culture-shocked to do anything but stare. Seeing that, Marshall dragged him to the bar and laughed his ass off.<p>

"So far so good, Gummy."

"Don't." Gumball told him. "I'm _this_ close on losing this."

"Loosen up a bit. The whole idea of this bet was for you to know what's fun and what's not fun." Marshall admitted, smiling softly. He asked the bartender for a scotch whisky, and knowing Marshall's fine tastes for liquor, the bartender gave him a super aged one. "Oh, wow. That's awesome." He pointed at Gumball. "A beer for this one."

"Oh, no, no, I'm not—"

"I insist, Bubba."

"I don't—" _handle my liquor well_

"Why are you so afraid of change, Gumball? Why can't you just take this bottle," _bam_ "and drink it down and get wasted and have _fun_?"

* * *

><p>"Come on," Marshall pulled the prince up, leading him to the dance floor. "Dance it off. I don't wanna get eaten alive by my own guilt when you wake up with the biggest hangover," He almost dragged Gumball; the prince had no idea what he was doing by that point, he was just hiccupping like crazy, and he swayed and leaned on Marshall a lot, which made Marshall feel so uncomfortable.<p>

The music was so loud, the bass was booming, and Gumball had no sense of rhythm. Marshall sighed at the big mess and grabbed Gumball by the waist, which made the prince freeze, and Marshall guided him all the way through the song, and the prince wasn't actually taking any of it.

"Relax," Marshall whispered, low and slow. "Wrap your arms around me and dance it off,"

"Why do I have to wrap my arms around _you_?"

"Because you would fall and pass out and you would lose the bet."

Marshall wasn't planning on making it risqué but it turned out that way, everyone was looking at them with much interest, but Marshall scared them off with a random scary face, and they all looked away. Gumball wasn't even blushing, he was just staring at empty space and _dancing_, but it wasn't awkward or anything, it was just like he was dancing blankly, but it works.

Five songs and a few glares to the people around, Marshall decided that it was time to call it quits.

"Gummy," He said, and the prince raised his gaze. "You win the bet."

He saw how the prince's face lightened for a second, and soon it was shrouded with confusion. He wanted to ask _how_ and _why_, like he knew he wasn't gonna win but he wanted to finish what he started. Marshall pulled him off the dancefloor and lead him to the door, and with a final glare back, he said,

"If I hear a peep about tonight from anyone else, I will bring upon hell to each," Their faces were priceless. "and," Very priceless. "every," Some even fainted. "one of you." He saw the bartender grin at him and he grinned back, and taking his coat, he gave it to Gumball, who turned pinker in thanks. Reaching outside, the air was chilly and sweet, and Gumball rubbed his arms together. "Are you okay?"

"_How_?" Prince Gumball asked out of disbelief. "It's like you gave it to me on a silver platter."

"You deserve it." _Going as far as forgetting your upbringing_. "Rest assured, I won't be troubling you from now o—"

"But I want the trouble."

Marshall stared at the prince, not knowing at to say or to think or _to feel_, because this is Prince Bubba Gumball, the fun-hater of all time, so the sudden outburst was just surprising and to think that he _wanted_ him to bug him was uncanny. The prince looked scared, very scared, and Marshall wanted to take _that_ away.

"Don't freak out, okay?" Marshall said, and Gumball only nodded. "Close your eyes."

And when Gumball did, Marshall cupped both of his cheeks and kissed him, feeling those gummy lips and breathing him in, smelling his sweet scent and then and there, Marshall Lee fell in love.

(Prince Gumball was sure he did, too.)

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I wanted to get this out of my head. So yeah. This is it. Was stuck typing this for three hours. Three freaking hours. Oh my glob. (But seriously, though. This was _begged_ to be written.) Um, yeah. Have some overprotective!Marshall and clueless!Gumball

I want pancakes.


End file.
